Spring for shoe forms



March 16, 1937. w. REINHARDT 2,074,273-

SPRING FOR SHOE FORMS Fil ed July 25, 1935 1i: viztor Loam Wflelnkaz'di Patented Mar. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATET QFFICE SPRING FOR SHOE FORMS Application July 25,

Claims.

My present invention relates to improvements in hollow shoe forms.

The widespread demand for a less expensive shoe form has resulted in many attempts to 5 provide such a form that will satisfactorily meet all the requirements as to appearance and. strength. In my co-pending application, Serial No. 1,271 filed January 11, 1935, I have shown a novel hol1ow shoe form that provides the essential firm, well fitted internal support for the shoe that meets that demand.

The hollow shoe form shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 1,271, is molded from a textile blank such as presized buckram and is characterized by a substantial sole flange having reenforcing plaits in the forward portion developed in molding operations, which plaits are disposed in preservation of the line of contact of adjacent flange surfaces with the inner sole.

A spring bridges the flange and ensures the desired lateral resiliency.

While such a form may be made of light stock, it is of great strength and its resiliency permits its insertion into the toe cavity to effect a concealedreenforcement. Such a form, however, emphasizes the problem of removing these forms because of the tightness of the fit and the character of the stock from which they are made. This problem is obviously present to some extent with all acceptable forms, but varies with the effectiveness of the support rendered and the type of shoe in which it is to be used. Of the many types and styles of shoes, womens shoes not having a tongue well illustrate the difficulty of dislodging a concealed tight fitting form.

I have solved this problem by providing a novel spring, which, while exerting the necessary lateral pressure to ensure the tight fitted support for the toe portion of a shoe is so formed that it may be compressed to free the form when properly contacted by an extractor.

1 In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated my novel spring as applied to a form made in accordance with the invention disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 1,271. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a bottom view of such a form with my novel spring attached.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a shoe supported by such a form.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through such a shoe and hollow form, and

Fig. 4 represents a suitable compressive extractor.

I have shown my novel spring generally indi- 1935, Serial No. 32,986

cated at I in Fig. 1 as applied to a hollow shoe form 2 described in detail in my co-pending application, Serial No. 1,271. The form 2 is shaped to provide the desired internal support for the toe portion 3 of a womans shoe.

Such a form is molded from a presized textile blank and includes an integral sole flange 4 having upturned ends 5. I have indicated at 6 plaits resulting from the disposal of slackage developed during the molding of the form 2. The strength of the form 2 is such that it may be made of light stock giving the form 2 an inherent resiliency which with the addition of a spring renders the form 2 extremely well fitting.

While a form thus made is acceptable as far as strength and appearance are concerned, its withdrawal from a toe cavity is difiicult as will be appreciated from Fig. 3. For that reason, the wire spring I includes a U-shaped head 1. and diverging end portions 8 terminating in inturned loops 9 which permit the ends of the spring to be securely anchored as by eyelets [0 to the flange 4 at substantially the widest part of the form 2. The head I is preferably upturned as may be seen in Fig. 3 and it extends forwardly to a point near the front of the form 2.

The extractor H includes an upwardly bent portion l2 and a handle indicated as at IS. The portion l2 has a rounded end which permits the extractor to be used in lodging the form 2 in the toe cavity 3.

Near the rounded end of the extractor H is an aperture M of a size suilicient to permit its free passage over the head I to permit the compressive contact of the diverging portions 8 of the spring I as the extractor H is withdrawn.

When it is desired to remove a form from a shoe, the extractor H is inserted therein substantially as far as possible. Because of the rounded end of the extractor II and the shape of the form, the aperture I4 is properly aligned with the head I of the spring I. The aperture M passes over the upturned head I as the extractor II is withdrawn and is guided to contact and compress the diverging portions 8 to draw the flange 4 inwardly and free the form 2 as indicated in Fig. 2 so that it may be removed with the extractor II.

I am thus able to provide a spring that may be used with any conformablesupport and that, while serving to ensure the well fitted support, is adapted to be used to free such a form so that it may be removed very easily.

In accordance with my invention, I am able to provide a hollow shoe form improved as to appearance and as to the support rendered that fully satisfies all requirements.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A hollow shoe form adapted to render a well fitted internal support for the toe cavity of a shoe, a spring bridging said form and being adapted to ensure said support when said form is lodged in said toe cavity, said spring including a U-shaped head lying near the front of said form and diverging'ends anchored to opposite portions of said form, said diverging ends being adapted to be compressed upon retractive engagement by an extractor and said head being upturned to facilitate said engagement whereby said form may be readily removed.

2. A shoe form comprising an integral upper and sole flange molded from a cementitiously presized textile blank, said sole flange being of substantial width and including in its front portions reinforcing folds constituting residual slackage of the flange stock developed in the molding of said form, said folds being disposed to permit the contact plane of said flange and the inner sole surfaces to be determined by adjacent flange surfaces, a transverse bow shaped spring anchored to said flange to cooperate with said form in establishing a well fitted internal support for a shoe, the bow of said spring being forwardly disposed and shaped to be compressed by retractive contact on each side of the center of said spring to permit said form to bev readily removed. r

3. In a hollow shoe form adapted to furnish support for the toe cavity of a shoe, a spring bridging said form and tightly forcing said form against the walls of said cavity, said spring including inturned arms anchored at their ends to opposite sides of said form and united adjacent the toe part of said form by an elongated portion adapted to center and to guide an extractor over said arms to position to retractively compress the same to permit removal of said form from a shoe.

4. In a hollow shoe form adapted to furnish support for the toe cavity of a shoe, a spring bridging said form and tightly forcing said form against the walls of said cavity, said spring including inturned arms anchored at their ends to opposite sides of said form and united by a U-shaped elongated portion adapted to center and to guide an extractor over said arms to position to retractively compress the same to permit removal of said form from a shoe.

5. In a hollow shoe form adapted to furnish support for the toe cavity of a shoe, a spring bridging said form and tightly forcing said form against the walls of said cavity, said spring including inturned arms anchored at their ends to opposite sides of said form and united by an upturned elongated portion adapted to center and to guide an extractor over said arms to position to retractively compress the same to permit removal of said form from a shoe.

LOUIS W. REINHARDT. 

